UK Charity Commission guidance: faith in good governance

At the end of last year, the Charity Commission’s Faith and Social Cohesion Unit published new guidance for faith-based organisations ‘Faith in Good Governance’.

Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Charity Commission commented in the introduction to the new guidance that:

‘…the purpose of the guidance is to help faith-based charities comply with charity law and to equip them to work even better whilst recognising that maintenance of the faith, identity , core aims and mission is key’

The guidance covers both the legal ‘thou shall/t….’ as well as the Commission’s ‘thou ought to..’ giving the legal framework as well as recommended good practice.

The guidance contains practical case studies which help the reader apply the information provided. The Commission have clearly aimed this guidance at smaller and newer charities whose focus are religious worship associated activities but the basic principles apply to all faith-based charities.

This guidance covers not only the basics of how and why to apply to be on the register of charities but also what needs to be thought about in relation to thorny issues like private benefits to religious leaders and the public benefit requirements of charity law.